[7-11Salvation-Army]

The Salvation Army says this year its kettles are lighter than usual...at least money-wise.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

The worst appears to be in the Roanoke Valley.
The Salvation Army's kettle campaign raised 150-thousand dollars last year and this year the organization set a goal of 160-thousand dollars.
But officials now say they will be lucky to reach 100-thousand.
The Salvation Army says the economy, a lack of volunteers, fewer locations, and new rules at area malls have all led to a kettle campaign that is less than perfect.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 5:06:06]
[IN Q=If the people from the]
((BRYAN DENT/SALVATION ARMY: IF THE PEOPLE FROM THE VALLEY WILL SEE THE NEED AND COME THROUGH FOR US THEN WE GOT A CHANCE OF PULLING IT OFF. HERE IN THE VALLEY WE HAVE OVER 100-THOUSAND PEOPLE A DOLLAR OR 50 CENTS FROM EACH ONE OF THEM WOULD HELP, JUST DROP A QUARTER IN THE KETTLE AS YOU GO BY, THAT WOULD HELP.))
[SUPER=01-Bryan Dent/Roanoke Valley Salvation Army;]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=THAT WOULD HELP]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[GRAPHIC]
They also need help in other locations.
The Salvation Army in Henry County says donations are down 20-percent despite the fact the need is up due to the recent closing of Pillowtex.
In Lynchburg, the kettle campaign is expected to bring in about 115-thousand dollars, the same amount as last year.

In the New River Valley, the Salvation Army had hope to raise 32-thousand dollars but says it will be lucky to reach the 28-thousand it raised last year.
(------------)

[7-11Warner-terrorism]

[ENG#=2]
About the same time the Bush administration raised the alert level this past weekend, the F-B-I sent a warning to Rappahannock County adminstrator John McCarthy.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@file;]

According to McCarthy, officials intercepted a phone conversation in which the word Rappahannock popped up.
In response to the increased threat level, Governor Warner put additional state troopers on patrol.
He also says the state is in constant contact with the Department of Homeland Security.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 14:56:05]
[IN Q=WE'VE GOT MORE PEOPLE PATROLLING]
((GOVERNOR MARK WARNER: WE'VE GOT MORE PEOPLE PATROLLING AIRPORTS, BRIDGES, TUNNELS AS WELL AS THE APPEAL I'M MAKING TO VIRGINIANS, BE ALERT, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING UNUSUAL, REPORT IT.))
[SUPER=@MarkWarner;]
[RUNS=:10]
[OUT Q=SOMETHING UNUSUAL, REPORT IT.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Despite the threat, Warner says Virginians should go about their daily lives and enjoy the holidays.
(------------)

[7-11Gift-Cards]

Barnes and Noble read into customer complaints about their non-use fee on gift cards.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Some companies charge the fee on their gift cards and deduct a set amount each month from the remaining balance of the card if you fail to use it within a certain time limit.
Although the policy's still posted on gift cards and it's website, Barnes and Noble says it's no longer in effect.
(------------)
[ANCHOR=Kim]
[SS=None]

A company spokesperson says because of complaints Barnes and Noble is reimbursing those customers who had money deducted from their cards.

[55-WXHeads]

Good morning, I'm Kimberly McBroom......
Our forecast calls for rain for much of the region today, with temperatures running in the 50s over the next several days.
Brent Watts has your holiday outlook, up next.

[55-11L'burg-Shooting]

[ANCHOR=Shannon]
[NEWSCAST=6pm]
[WRITER=ssm]
[TAPE#=]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]

One man is hospitalized and another is being sought by police after an apparent gang-related shooting in Lynchburg last night.
Police say around ten, 23-year-old Kevin DeWayne Napier (NAY-pee-ur) was shot several times in the groin and abdomen near the corner of 16th and Taylor Streets.
He's in critical condition at Lynchburg General Hospital.
Authorities believe the shooter was 19-year-old Chase Jeffrey Irvine.
Anyone with information should call the Lynchburg police.

[55-11Firefighters]

One of Lynchburg's eight neighborhood fire stations will be closing on Christmas because of a shortage of manpower.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Lynchburg;]

The head of the local firefighters union says a combination of vacation time, sick leave and lack of personnel routinely forces the department to take equipment out of service.
Station Two on Grace Street usually has staffing for one engine and a reserve medical unit.
But a sign outside informed residents today the building will be closed on December 25th.
Emergency calls for that neighborhood will have to be handled by other nearby fire stations.
(------------)

[55-11Overnight-mail]

For those of you who leave things to the last minute, you still have a little time left to ship your packages for Christmas.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

Fed-Ex officials say their stations will be open until 7:45 tonight.
If you can get your packages in before then, Fed Ex is guaranteeing delivery in time to put them under the tree.
For those who can't make it tonight, shipping officials say you may be out of luck.
Fed Ex officials say there are enough procrastinators to ensure that today will be the longest day of the year for their employees.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 00:51]
[IN Q=OUR LOCAL STATION HERE]
((JOSH BRUMFIELD/ROANOKE'S FED EX MANAGER: OUR LOCAL STATION HERE HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED ITS NORMAL VOLUME FOR DELIVERY AND PICKUP TODAY.))
[SUPER=01-Josh Brumfield/Roanoke Fed-Ex Manager;]
[RUNS=:05]
[OUT Q=FOR DELIVERY AND PICKUP TODAY.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Fed Ex says last night was the biggest time of the year for shipping by air.
The company says five-and-a-half million packages are currently en route.
(------------)

[55-11Cookies-Warner]

[ENG#=3]
Governor Mark Warner helped a group of children with some cookie decorating.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Richmond;]

The kids are residents of a Richmond shelter for battered women.
The governor, who has three daughters of his own, proved that he was no novice when it comes to garnishing holiday treats.
The decorated snowmen were promptly sampled and declared "melt-in-your-mouth" good.
(------------)

[8-11Salvation-Army]

The sounds of money have been few and far between inside the Salvation Army kettles.
Officials say this year's kettle drive is falling short of the organization's goals.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke;]

The worst appears to be in the Roanoke Valley.
The Salvation Army's kettle campaign raised 150-thousand dollars last year and this year the organization set a goal of 160-thousand dollars.
But officials now say they will be lucky to reach 100-thousand.
The Salvation Army says the economy, a lack of volunteers, fewer locations, and new rules at area malls have all led to a kettle campaign that is less than perfect.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT 5:06:06]
[IN Q=If the people from the]
((BRYAN DENT/SALVATION ARMY: IF THE PEOPLE FROM THE VALLEY WILL SEE THE NEED AND COME THROUGH FOR US THEN WE GOT A CHANCE OF PULLING IT OFF. HERE IN THE VALLEY WE HAVE OVER 100-THOUSAND PEOPLE A DOLLAR OR 50 CENTS FROM EACH ONE OF THEM WOULD HELP, JUST DROP A QUARTER IN THE KETTLE AS YOU GO BY, THAT WOULD HELP.))
[SUPER=01-Bryan Dent/Roanoke Valley Salvation Army;]
[RUNS=:19]
[OUT Q=THAT WOULD HELP]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[GRAPHIC]
They also need help in other locations.
The Salvation Army in Henry County says donations are down 20-percent despite the fact the need is up due to the recent closing of Pillowtex.
In Lynchburg, the kettle campaign is expected to bring in about 115-thousand dollars, the same amount as last year.

In the New River Valley, the Salvation Army had hope to raise 32-thousand dollars but says it will be lucky to reach the 28-thousand it raised last year.
(------------)

[8-5-Pulaski-Jobs]

300 new jobs are coming to an area that really needs them-- Pulaski County.
(------------)
[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pulaski;]

Yesterday, Governor Warner announced that Global Contract Services will locate a customer contact center in an office building in downtown Pulaski.
G-C-S will begin hiring people on December 29 and plans to open the new call center by the end of January.
That's around the same time the Renfro Corporation plans to close the doors to its sock-making factory, putting more than 300 employees out of work.
(///// SOT /////)
[SOT: 3:11:08:00]
[IN Q=It's a start]
((CHARLES STEWART:IT'S A START, WE'LL TAKE ANY TYPE OF JOBS WE CAN TAKE. THIS FITS IN WITH THE SKILL SETS OF THE PEOPLE THAT WERE LAID OFF FROM RENFRO. AND WE HOPE THAT A LOT OF THOSE FOLKS WILL BE BACK IN HERE
WORKING))
[SUPER=01-Charles Stewart/Pulaski Mayor;]
[RUNS=:13]
[OUT Q=here working.]
(------------)
[VO-NAT]

Anyone interested in the new jobs can call the Virginia Employment Commission office in Radford.
(------------)

[8-11Flu-Peak]

State health officials say the latest news about the flu epidemic is encouraging--
A Virginia Department of Health spokeswoman said that the reporting period is the first in which there was no i
ncrease in flu activity.